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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

My First 10k, Officially

I ran my first 10k on Saturday and
finished it! It felt like I was running forever and I felt really tired
(I still haven't figured out quite why I've been getting so fatigued
lately), but I finished it and my time wasn't terribly shabby either:
1:04:43. It put me in 7th place in my age group, of 11. So yes, there
are many faster chicks in my age range, but I'm still pretty stoked (and
a little skeptical, even) of my time.

Let me throw in here that I'm getting really frustrated (yes, still) with my running ability. I've run six miles quite often, yet this 10k was a challenge for me. It's not lungs or breathing, it's not usually even knee pain (until after) or shin splints, it's just.. fatigue. I'm just tired. Some of you know that I have pernicious anemia and give myself B12 shots monthly. This could definitely be a cause of the fatigue, but I'm completely up on my shot.

Another little throw in here - my B12 level was scary low when it was discovered. Since, when I have lab drawn, my B12 level is only in the "low-normal" range, even after being faithful with my shots. I haven't been able to boost the level above that in the almost 10 years since being diagnosed. Still, low-normal is still normal, and this shouldn't contribute to the issue at hand.

Anyway, on Saturday I ran the Love, Life, Run 10k, and while I dragged ass through it, it was actually a very nice run. The scenery was nice, everyone was friendly, and while there wasn't a ton of people, there were plenty of people to ensure I didn't finish last! Afterwards, they offered water, coffee, and OJ, and if it was your longest distance or best time, they had a gong at the finish line for you to strike! It was pretty cool. Inside, biscuits and gravy, and they only looked at me just a tiny bit strange when I requested my biscuit to be gravy-free. I don't eat meat, you know. They held an auction for some sports memorabilia, and announced the top times, which I usually stay for (even though I haven't placed), because I know they deserve support. And I'm sure I've mentioned before, I love runners and the running community.

The weather was cold, but almost perfect to run in - I'd rather run in the cold than heat any day. Cold weather is wonderful to run in, until you stop, obviously. After hanging around for the awards and auction, I was freezing.

I really enjoyed this race, and I got this beautiful finisher's medal, and I'll do it again next year - and totally beat my time.